Folding type bicycle

ABSTRACT

A folding type bicycle including a front frame provided with a front wheel and a handle, a center frame provided with pedals and a saddle, a rear frame provided with a rear wheel, and a hinge device to enable the front frame, the center frame and the rear frame to pivot about one another, to be foldable with respect to one another, wherein the hinge device comprises a hinge shaft configured to rotatably connect the front frame, the center frame and the rear from to one another at a central portion of the hinge shaft, an operating lever provided at an end portion of the hinge shaft, and a locking pin member provided while being spaced apart from the hinge shaft to fix an unfolded state of the front frame, the center frame and the rear frame in accordance with pivoting of the operating lever.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No.2012-0104086, filed on Sep. 19, 2012 in the Korean Intellectual PropertyOffice, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a bicycle foldable forconvenient storage and transportation thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

Bicycles, which are short-distance traveling means, are widely used forexercise or leisure.

Generally, such a bicycle includes a frame constituting a skeleton ofthe bicycle, and wheels, pedals and a handle, which are mounted to theframe. Basically, the bicycle is traveled by force transmitted to thewheels via a chain after being generated when the user steps the pedalsto rotate a sprocket.

Conventional bicycles are inconvenient in storage and transportationbecause they employ an integrated frame. In order to solve such aproblem, a bicycle having a foldable frame has recently been developed.

Such a bicycle is disclosed in Korean Utility Model No. 20-0341604(registered on Feb. 2, 2004). In the disclosed bicycle, a frame, towhich a front wheel and a rear wheel are rotatably mounted, is foldablein half about a portion thereof where a saddle is installed. However,this bicycle has an inconvenient and bulky folding structure.

SUMMARY

Therefore, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a foldingtype bicycle having a convenient and compact folding structure.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a folding typebicycle capable of being stably maintained in an unfolded state.

Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in thedescription which follows and, in part, will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a folding typebicycle includes a front frame, a center frame, a rear frame and a hingedevice. The front frame may be provided with a front wheel and a handle.The center frame may be provided with pedals and a saddle. The rearframe may be provided with a rear wheel. The hinge device may beconfigured to enable the front frame, the center frame and the rearframe to pivot about one another, to be foldable with respect to oneanother. The hinge device may include a hinge shaft, an operating lever,and a locking pin member. The hinge shaft may be configured to rotatablyconnect the front frame, the center frame and the rear from to oneanother at a central portion of the hinge shaft. The operating lever maybe provided at an end portion of the hinge shaft. The locking pin membermay be provided while being spaced apart from the hinge shaft to fix anunfolded state of the front frame, the center frame and the rear framein accordance with pivoting of the operating lever.

The operating lever may be configured to press the locking pin member atthe rear frame or the front frame. The locking pin member may beconfigured to pass through the front frame, the center frame and therear frame, and if a pressing force by the operating lever is canceled,to release the fixed unfolded state of the front frame, the center frameand the rear frame through an elastic force.

The locking pin member may include a center pin and a rear pin. Thecenter pin may be provided on the center frame to lock between thecenter frame and the front frame. The rear pin may be provided at therear frame to lock between the rear frame and the center frame or may beprovided at the front frame to lock between the front frame and thecenter frame.

The center pin and the rear pin may be disposed in alignment with eachother.

The operating lever may be provided with a coupling protrusion, and thelocking pin member may be provided with a coupling groove correspondingto the coupling protrusion.

The center frame may be provided with a plurality of rolling membersconfigured to guide a rotation by performing a rolling-contact with afront rim of the front frame and a rear rim of the rear frame. One ofthe plurality of rolling members may be provided with a hollow portion,and the locking pin member may be provided in the hollow portion.

Each of the rolling members may include a cylinder and rollers. Thecylinder may have a hollowness portion and provided in a fitting holeformed at the center frame. The rollers may be respectively providedaround opposite ends of the cylinder.

Each of the front rim and the rear rim may be provided with a rim guideto limit movement of the rolling member.

The folding type bicycle may include a generator, a battery, a motor,and an electronic control unit. The generator may be operativelyprovided on the pedals, to generate electrical energy during stepping ofthe pedals. The electronic control unit and the battery may be receivedin one of the front, center and rear frames, and the motor may beprovided on the rear wheel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects of the invention will become apparent andmore readily appreciated from the following description of theembodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings ofwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an unfolded state of a foldingtype electric bicycle according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the folding type electric bicycleaccording to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the folding type electric bicycleaccording to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded plan view illustrating a hinge device of thefolding type electric bicycle according to the illustrated embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the hinge device ofthe folding type electric bicycle according to the illustratedembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 4,to illustrate the hinge device;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 4,to illustrate the hinge device;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating an operating lever of thefolding type electric bicycle according to the illustrated embodiment ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a folded state of the foldingtype electric bicycle according to the illustrated embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. These embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will bethorough and complete, and will fully convey the spirit and scope of thepresent invention to those skilled in the art. Other embodiments mayalso be provided. Constituent elements other than elements constitutingessential features of the present invention may be omitted from thedrawings, for clarity of description. In the drawings, the widths,lengths, and thicknesses of constituent elements may be exaggerated forclarity and convenience of illustration. Like reference numerals referto like elements throughout.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a folding type bicycleaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 isa plan view corresponding to FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a side view correspondingto FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the folding type bicycle according to theillustrated embodiment of the present invention includes a front frame100 provided with a front wheel 10 and a handle 20, a center frame 200provided with pedals 30 and a saddle 40, and a rear frame 300 providedwith a rear wheel 50. The frames 100, 200 and 300 are pivotally coupledto one another by a hinge device 400.

The front frame 100 has a hollow bar structure having an inner space.The front frame 100 is provided, at one end thereof, with a handle tube110 while being, provided, at the other end thereof, with a front hingemember 410, to be pivotally coupled to the center frame 200.

A handle stem 21 is rotatably fitted in the handle tube 110, which is ahollow structure. The handle stem 21 is provided, at a lower endthereof, with a front wheel mounting frame 22 extending downwardly froma lower end of the handle tube 110. The handle stem 21 is also provided,at an upper end thereof, with a handle mounting frame 23 extendingupwardly from an upper end of the handle tube 110.

The front wheel mounting frame 22 is laterally bent from a center of thehandle stem 21, to cause the front wheel 10 to be aligned with the rearwheel 50 along a line A (FIG. 2). The handle mounting frame 23 supportsa central portion of the handle bar 24. For steering convenience of theuser, respective handle grips 25 and respective brake levers 26 forbraking of the front wheel 10 and rear wheel 50 are provided at oppositeends of the handle bar 24.

A display device 27 is detachably mounted at one side of the handle bar24, to display information as to a speed change state and a batteryamount in the case in which the bicycle is an electric bicycle. At theother side of the handle bar 24, a lever 28 for acceleration and speedchange is installed.

The center frame 200 has a hollow bar structure having an inner space.The center frame 200 is provided, at one end thereof, with a pair ofpedals 30 while being, provided, at the other end thereof, with a centerhinge member 430 to pivotally couple the front frame 100 and rear frame300 to the center frame 200 at opposite sides of the center frame 200,respectively. The pedals 30 are rotatable about a pedal coupler 210provided at the center frame 200.

A generator (not shown) is installed within the pedal coupler 202, toconvert rotational force of the pedal 30 into electrical energy. Theelectrical energy is charged in a battery 60, which is electricallyconnected to the generator. An electrical control unit (ECU) 70 isinstalled within the center frame 200, for electrical connection andcontrol of the whole electrical elements including the generator andbattery 60. Since each of the frames 100, 200 and 300 has an innerspace, the ECU 70 may be installed in one frame other than the centerframe 200, namely, the frame 100 or 300.

The center frame 200 includes a saddle frame 220 for installation of thesaddle 40.

The saddle frame 220 is provided, at a rear side thereof, with a saddletube 42 for installation of the saddle 40. A saddle rod 52 is coupled tothe saddle tube 42 in order to adjust the level of the saddle 40. Thesaddle frame 220 may be integrated with the center frame 200.Alternatively, the saddle frame 220 may be separate from the centerframe 200. In the latter case, the saddle frame 220 and center frame 200may be assembled through welding or bolting.

The rear frame 300 has a hollow bar structure having an inner space. Atone end of the rear frame 300, the rear wheel 50 is rotatably installed.The rear frame 300 is also provided, at the other end thereof, with arear hinge member 420, to be pivotally coupled to the center frame 200.

The battery 60 is installed within the inner space of the rear frame300, in which a battery management system (not shown), etc. are alsoinstalled. These elements are electrically connected to the ECU 70provided at the center frame 200. The rear wheel 50 is provided with amotor 52, which receives power from the battery 60, thereby rotating therear wheel 50. Since each of the frames 100, 200 and 300 has an innerspace, as described above, the battery 60 may be installed in one frameother than the rear frame 300, namely, the frame 100 or 200.

Although no detailed description has been given of the front wheel 10and rear frame 50, the wheels 10 and 50 are provided with brakingmembers, namely, discs 14 and 54 and frictional pads, respectively, torestrict rotational force during operation of the brake levers 26.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views for concretely explaining the hinge device 400to pivotally couple the front frame 100, center frame 200 and rear frame300.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the hinge device 400 includes the fronthinge member 410, which is provided at the other end of the front frame100, the rear hinge member 420, which is provided at the other end ofthe rear frame 300, and the center hinge member 430, which is providedat the other end of the center frame 200. The front hinge member 410 andrear hinge member 420 are coupled to left and right surfaces of thecenter hinge member 430, respectively.

Each of the hinge members 410, 420 and 430 forms an inclination angle of6° with respect to the line A, along which the front wheel 10 and rearwheel 50 are aligned. In accordance with the inclination angle, thefront wheel 10 and rear wheel 50 are aligned in an unfolded state of thebicycle (FIG. 1), and the front wheel 10 and rear wheel 50 are arrangedin parallel in a folded state of the bicycle (FIG. 9).

A hinge shaft 440 is centrally arranged within the hinge members 410,420 and 430. The hinge shaft 440 is fixedly mounted, at one end thereof,to the front hinge member 410 by a mount. An intermediate portion of thehinge shaft 440 extends through a center hub 432 centrally provided atthe center hinge member 430. The other end of the rear hinge member 420is coupled to an operating lever 450 while extending through the rearhinge member 420.

The center hinge member 430 includes a center rim 431 provided at aperiphery of the center hinge member 430 for lightness of the centerhinge member 430, and a center hub 432 centrally provided at the centerhinge member 430. The center rim 431 and center hub 432 are connected bya plurality of ribs 433. The hinge shaft 440 extends through a holeformed in the center hub 432.

Similarly to the center hinge member 430, the front hinge member 410includes a front rim and a front hub, and the rear hinge member 420includes a rear rim 421 and a rear hub 422. Although the front rim andfront hub are not shown, they have the same shapes as those of the rearrim 421 and rear hub 422.

The operating lever 450 is provided at the rear hinge member 420 of therear frame 300, to pivot about the hinge shaft 440. A lever cover 454 isprovided at the operating lever 450, to cover the other end of the hingeshaft 440.

Meanwhile, the hinge device 400 also includes metal rings 460respectively provided between facing rotational contact surfaces of thehinge members 410 and 430 and between facing rotational contact surfacesof the hinge members 420 and 430, to achieve smooth pivoting of thehinge members 410, 420 and 430. The hinge device 400 further includes aspacing member 470 to adjust the spacing among the hinge members 410,420 and 430, and rolling members 480 to achieve smooth pivoting of thehinge members 410, 420 and 430.

The spacing member 470 includes a fixed cam 472 and a rotating cam 474provided between the rear hinge member 420 and the operating lever 450.

The fixed cam 472 is fitted, at a rear surface thereof, in a squarefitting hole provided at the rear hub 422 of the rear hinge member 420,to be fixed to the rear hinge member 420. The rotating cam 474 isfitted, at a rear surface thereof, in a square fitting hole provided atthe operating lever 450, to be fixed to the operating lever 450.

Cam surfaces 473 and 475 are provided at facing front surfaces of thefixed cam 472 and rotating cam 474, respectively. Each of the camsurfaces 473 and 475 has a structure having mountains and valleys.Accordingly, when the operating lever 450 is positioned at a lockingposition, the cam surfaces 473 and 475 are in contact with each otherbetween the mountains thereof, so that they are spaced apart from eachother by 2 mm. On the other hand, when the operating lever 450 ispositioned at an unlocking position, the cam surfaces 473 and 475 are incontact with each other between the mountains thereof and the valleysthereof, so that they close contact without spacing therebetween. Thehinge shaft 440 extends through the fixed cam 472 and rotating cam 474such that it does not interfere with the operations of the cam surfaces473 and 475 of the fixed cam 472 and rotating cam 474. A nut 479 isfastened to the other end of the hinge shaft 440 extending through theoperating lever 450 via washers 476 and a needle bearing 478.

Each rolling member 480 includes a cylinder 482 fitted in a fitting hole435 of the center frame 200, and rollers 484 respectively fitted aroundopposite ends of the cylinder 482.

The rollers 484 rotatably contact rim guides 425 provided at a front rimof the front hinge member 410 and a rear rim 421 of the rear hingemember 420, respectively, for rolling-contact of the front and rearhinge members 410 and 420 with the center hinge member 430.

Each rim guide 425 includes a plurality of rim protrusions 426 tosupport rolling of the corresponding rollers 484 while limiting thelateral movement distance of the corresponding rollers 484. That is, asshown in FIG. 6, a sector-shaped structure is formed by each rim guide425, which has an arc shape, and a pair of rim protrusions 426 protrudedfrom opposite ends of the rim guide 425. Within the sector-shapedstructure, one roller 484 rolls between the opposite ends of the rimguide 425. Thus, the pivotal movement distance of the frames 100 and 300is effectively limited.

The hinge device 400 further includes a load-distributing support unit490 to reduce a load repeatedly applied to the hinge shaft 450 by theweights of the frames 100 and 300 during folding and unfoldingoperations.

The load-distributing support unit 490 includes a ring mount 492 fittedaround the hinge shaft 440 between the center frame 200 and the rearframe 300, and a bearing 494 fitted in the ring mount 492, to beinterposed between the hinge shaft 440 and the ring mount 492. The ringmount 492 is fixed to the rear hub 422 of the rear hinge member 420. Thebearing 494, which is fitted in the ring mount 492, effectivelydistributes the load applied to the hinge shaft 440, at two pointsspaced apart from each other, together with a bearing 496 fitted in thecenter hub 432.

The hinge device 400 further includes a locking pin member 500 extendingthrough the hinge members 410, 420 and 430 in order to stably maintainthe front frame 100, center frame 200 and rear frame 300 in an unfoldedstate.

The locking pin member 500 includes a center pin 510 provided at thecenter frame 200 and a rear pin 520 provided at the rear frame 300.

The center pin 510 is disposed in one of the fitting holes 435 providedat the center rim 431 of the hinge member 430. In detail, the center pin510 is fitted in the hole of the cylinder 482 fitted in the fitting hole435, in which the center pin 510 is disposed. An elastic member 512 isalso installed in the cylinder 482. The center pin 510 is normallydisposed within the center hinge member 430 by the elastic member 512.Upon receiving external force, the center pin 510 is protruded towardthe front hinge member 410.

The rear pin 520 is fitted in a fitting hole 429 provided at the rearrim 421 of the rear hinge member 420. An elastic member 522 is alsoinstalled in the fitting hole 429. In detail, the rear pin 520 isdisposed such that a head 524 thereof is outwardly protruded from therear hinge member 420 by the elastic member 522. When external force isapplied to the rear pin 520, the head 524 is inserted into the rearhinge member 420, and a tail 526 of the rear pin 520 opposite to thehead 524 is protruded toward the center hinge member 430.

The center pin 510 and rear pin 520 are aligned in the unfolded state ofthe bicycle, as shown in FIG. 7. On the other hand, the center pin 510and rear pin 520 are spaced apart from each other in the folded state ofthe bicycle, as shown in FIG. 6.

Hereinafter, operation of the electric bicycle having theabove-described configuration according to the illustrated embodimentwill be described. Although the electric bicycle as described above isillustrated in this embodiment, embodiments of the present invention maybe easily implemented in general folding type bicycles by those skilledin the art, through modifications and changes, without being limited tothe electric bicycle.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in the folding type bicycle according to theillustrated embodiment of the present invention, the front wheel 10 andrear wheel 50 are aligned along the line A in a completely unfoldedstate of the bicycle.

FIG. 8 is a view for explaining operation of the operating lever 450. Inthe unfolded state of the bicycle, the operating lever 450 is receivedin a seating groove 423 provided at the rear hinge member 420, asindicated by a dotted line in FIG. 8. On the other hand, in the foldedstate of the bicycle, the operating lever 450 is separated from theseating groove 423 of the rear hinge member 420, as indicated by a solidline in FIG. 8.

In order to couple the operating lever 450 and locking pin member 500 ata correct position within the seating groove 423, the head 524 of therear pin 520 is provided with an engagement groove 527, and theoperating lever 450 is provided with an engagement lug 528 correspondingto the engagement groove 527.

Upon folding the bicycle, the user pivots the operating lever 450 aboutthe hinge shaft 440. When the operating lever 450 is separated from theseating groove 423 of the rear frame 330, the rear pin 520 of thelocking pin member 500 is retracted by the elastic member 522 such thatthe head 524 is exposed. Since the rear pin 520 pushes the center pin510 in the aligned state, the center pin 510 is elastically retractedtoward the operating lever 450 by the elastic member 512 when the rearpin 520 is retracted.

In accordance with the retraction of the rear pin 520, the tail 526 ofthe rear pin 520 is inserted into the fitting hole 429. As a result,locking between the rear hinge member 420 and the center hinge member430 is released. Similarly, the center pin 510 is inserted into thecylinder 482 thereof in accordance with the retraction thereof. As aresult, locking between the center hinge member 430 and the front hingemember 410 is released.

When locking of the locking pin member 500 is released as describedabove, the user can fold the bicycle to the state of FIG. 9 by pivotingthe front frame 100 and rear frame 330 about the hinge device 400 at theleft and right sides of the center frame 200, respectively. In thiscase, the handle stem 21 is folded toward the front wheel 10 afterrelease of a clamp 21 a. In the folded state, the user may easily movethe bicycle to a desired location after grasping the saddle 40.

Meanwhile, although the operating lever 450 is illustrated in thisembodiment as being provided at the rear frame 300, embodiments of thepresent invention are not limited thereto. For example, the operatinglever 450 may be provided at the front frame 100.

Also, although, in the illustrated embodiment, the rollers 484 of eachrolling member 480 are provided at the center frame 200, and the rimguides 425 to support rolling of the rollers 484 are provided at thefront frame 100 and rear frame 300, respectively, embodiments of thepresent invention are not limited thereto. For example, the positions ofthese elements may be reversed. That is, the cylinder and rollers 484 ofeach rolling member 480 may be provided at each of the front frame 100and rear frame 300, and a rim guide 425 to support the rollers 484 maybe provided at the center frame 200.

As apparent from the above description, the folding type bicycleaccording to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention mayachieve a compact folding size because the front frame and rear frameare folded about the center frame such that the bicycle is folded intriple.

Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatchanges may be made in these embodiments without departing from theprinciples and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined inthe claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A folding type bicycle comprising: a front frameprovided with a front wheel and a handle; a center frame provided withpedals and a saddle; a rear frame provided with a rear wheel; and ahinge device to enable the front frame, the center frame and the rearframe to pivot about one another, to be foldable with respect to oneanother, wherein the hinge device comprises: a hinge shaft configured torotatably connect the front frame, the center frame and the rear from toone another at a central portion of the hinge shaft; an operating leverprovided at an end portion of the hinge shaft; and a locking pin memberprovided while being spaced apart from the hinge shaft to fix anunfolded state of the front frame, the center frame and the rear framein accordance with pivoting of the operating lever.
 2. The folding typebicycle according to claim 1, wherein: the operating lever is configuredto press the locking pin member at the rear frame or the front frame;and the locking pin member is configured to pass through the frontframe, the center frame and the rear frame, and if a pressing force bythe operating lever is canceled, to release the fixed unfolded state ofthe front frame, the center frame and the rear frame through an elasticforce.
 3. The folding type bicycle according to claim 2, wherein thelocking pin member comprises: a center pin provided on the center frameto lock between the center frame and the front frame; and a rear pinprovided at the rear frame to lock between the rear frame and the centerframe or provided at the front frame to lock between the front frame andthe center frame.
 4. The folding type bicycle according to claim 3,wherein the center pin and the rear pin are disposed in alignment witheach other.
 5. The folding type bicycle according to claim 2, whereinthe operating lever is provided with a coupling protrusion and thelocking pin member is provided with a coupling groove corresponding tothe coupling protrusion.
 6. The folding type bicycle according to claim1, wherein: the center frame is provided with a plurality of rollingmembers configured to guide a rotation by performing a rolling-contactwith a front rim of the front frame and a rear rim of the rear frame;and one of the plurality of rolling members is provided with a hollowportion, and the locking pin member is provided in the hollow portion.7. The folding type bicycle according to claim 6, wherein each of therolling members comprises: a cylinder having a hollowness portion andprovided in a fitting hole formed at the center frame; and rollersrespectively provided around opposite ends of the cylinder.
 8. Thefolding type bicycle according to claim 6, wherein each of the front rimand the rear rim is provided with a rim guide to limit movement of therolling member.
 9. The folding type bicycle according to claim 6,further comprising: a battery, a motor, and an electronic control unit,wherein the electronic control unit and the battery are received in oneof the front, center and rear frames, and the motor is provided on therear wheel.